And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.
And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests - the association or guild of priests.
Murder in the way by consent - literally, with one shoulder, (cf. Zephaniah 3:9, "with one consent" - shoulder, margin.) The image is from oxen putting their shoulders together to pull the same yoke (Rivetus). Maurer translates, 'in the way toward Shechem.' Shechem was a city of refuge between Ebal and Gerizim, on mount Ephraim (Joshua 20:7; Joshua 21:21), long the civil capital of Ephraim, as Shiloh was the religious capital; now called Naploos; for a time the residence of Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:25), who rebuilt it, after its destruction by Abimelech, son of Jerubbaal, or Gideon (Judges 9:45). The priests there became so corrupted that they waylaid and murdered persons fleeing to the asylum for refuge (Henderson). The sanctity of the place enhanced the guilt of the priests, who abused their priestly privileges, and the right of asylum, to perpetrate murders themselves, or to screen those committed by others (Maurer).
For they commit lewdness, х zimaah (H2154)] - deliberate crime, presumptuous wickedness [from zaamam (H2161), to form a deliberate purpose].